A career as a cartoonist is a career in the multimedia and animation field that allows you to practice and use your drawing, design and artistic skills to create comic strips, animated films and more. These professionals have the skills to convey a story, information or humour through cartoons. Starting a career as a cartoonist requires developing important skills in technical areas, such as drawing and graphic design, as well as sound expertise in verbal and written communication. This career path will give you access to various job opportunities as well as a rewarding career. As a cartoonist, you will work on tasks such as creating political cartoons, developing animation for a production studio or working on personal comics or projects. You can also work in places such as movie studios, newspapers, magazines and other forms of media.

Starting a career as a cartoonist can be a very rewarding career. You will have the opportunity to tell stories through visual drawings while you grow as an artist. However, you need to have the required skills before you can become a professional cartoonist. Additionally, you also need to be committed and dedicated to becoming a professional. Understanding the procedures to become a cartoonist can be beneficial if you have a talent for drawing and would like to pursue a career in this industry.

In this piece, I will discuss the steps to start a career as a cartoonist.

How to Become a Cartoonist

1. Obtain a Degree

   You can start your career pursuit by obtaining a bachelor’s degree in an art-related field. You can gain a bachelor’s degree in fields such as fine arts, illustration, design or animation. These degrees can give you a strong foundation and knowledge that will be valuable in building your career. Additionally, it can also teach you how to use technology to enhance your skills.

2. Develop your artistic skills

   Your skills are very valuable to your success as a cartoonist. You should develop your skills regularly through drawing and illustration. Therefore, you can attend workshops, and boot camps and take classes to refine your skills.

3. Build your portfolio

   While building your career, you should create a portfolio of your artwork and cartoons. This will display your skills and expertise to potential employers. Additionally, it will enable you to compile your past and recent works to track your progress.

4. Learn Different Styles of Cartooning

   There are several styles of cartooning. The more styles you have, the more you increase your employability. Additionally, this will enable you to carry out different tasks with ease. Therefore, you can practice and develop your proficiency in multiple cartooning styles.

5. Develop Soft Skills

   Soft skills are relevant for building your career. You can develop skills such as creativity, written communication skills, emotive communication skills, organisation skills and Self-motivation.

6. Choose an Area of Specialisation

   There are various areas of specialisation in cartooning. You can choose to specialise in any area of your interest and based on your skill.

Types of Cartoonists.

1. Comic Strip Cartoonist

   These cartoonists make comic strips and send their works for publication in periodicals, newspapers, and online media. Additionally, they create plots and characters that progress over several panels, engrossing viewers with lighthearted or dramatic stories.

2. Advertising Cartoonist

   Advertising cartoonists make cartoons for advertising and marketing objectives. They create cartoons, such as characters, images, and cartoons, to sell products, services, or companies.

3. Gag Cartoonist

   Gag cartoonists specialise in generating single-panel cartoons that contain a punchline or a humorous insight. These cartoons are commonly found in newspapers, magazines, greeting cards, and online platforms.

4. Editorial Cartoonist

   Editorial cartoonists make cartoons that offer social and political commentary. They frequently work for newspapers, periodicals, or online publications, where their cartoons are usually published with editorial content.

5. Animation Cartoonist

   Animation cartoonists specialise in bringing drawings to life through movement. They work in the animation industry, which includes television, film, and online platforms. Cartoonists can work on many stages of the animation process, such as character design, storyboarding, layout, and keyframe animation.

6. Children’s Book Illustrator

   Some cartoonists specialise in illustrating cartoons for children’s books. They produce vibrant and interesting graphics to match the written text, bringing stories to life and capturing the attention of young readers.

List of Universities in Africa for Art & Design

1. University of Cape Town, South Africa
2. University of Pretoria, South Africa
3. North-West University, South Africa
4. Cairo University, Egypt
5. University of the Western Cape, South Africa
6. Rhodes University, South Africa
7. Ain Shams University, South Africa
8. University of Sfax, Tunisia
9. University of Ibadan, Nigeria
10. Alexandria University, Egypt
11. Mansoura University, Egypt
12. University of Ghana, Ghana
13. University of Nigeria, Nigeria
14. Obafemi Awolowo University, Nigeria
15. Makerere University, Uganda
16. Helwan University, Egypt
17. Nelson Mandela University, South Africa
18. American University in Cairo, Egypt
19. University of Botswana, Botswana
20. Zagazig University, Egypt
21. University of Monastir, Tunisia
22. Tunis University, Tunisia
23. Tshwane University of Technology, South Africa
24. University of Nairobi, Kenya
25. Menoufia University, Egypt
26. University of Lagos, Nigeria
27. University of Zimbabwe, Zimbabwe
28. Mohammed V University, Morocco
29. Addis Ababa University, Ethiopia
30. University of Sousse, Tunisia
31. University of Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
32. Cape Peninsula University of Technology, South Africa
33. Durban University of Technology, South Africa
34. Covenant University, Nigeria
35. Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Ghana
36. University of Fort Hare, South Africa
37. Sidi Mohamed Ben Abdellah University, Morocco
38. University of Sciences and Technology Houari Boumediene, Algeria
39. University of Mauritius, Mauritius
40. Manouba University, Tunisia

In Conclusion, starting a career as a cartoonist requires you to have good creativity skills as well as artistic skills. In this career, you will be required to create compelling cartoons for different purposes. Therefore, you should pay attention to honing the necessary skills that you need. Most importantly, you should put in a lot of commitment and hard work to achieve expertise in this career.

Good luck!

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